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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Stage-specific effects of nanoplastic exposure on neurodevelopment and offspring behavior
ClearEffects of nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy and lactation on neurodevelopment of rat offspring
When pregnant and nursing rats were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics, their offspring showed thinner brain cortexes, disrupted neurotransmitter levels, damaged connections between brain cells, and problems with anxiety and spatial memory. This study suggests that maternal exposure to nanoplastics during pregnancy and breastfeeding could affect brain development in offspring.
Early-life exposure to polypropylene nanoplastics induces neurodevelopmental toxicity in mice and human iPSC-derived cerebral organoids
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polypropylene nanoplastics through inhalation and found that their offspring showed impaired brain development, poor spatial memory, reduced motor coordination, and increased anxiety. Tests using human brain organoids (lab-grown mini-brains) confirmed that nanoplastics disrupt the growth and differentiation of neurons, raising concerns about fetal brain health from plastic pollution during pregnancy.
Effect of nanoplastic intake on the dopamine system during the development of male mice
Male mice exposed to nanoplastics during specific developmental windows, particularly late pregnancy and adulthood, showed disrupted dopamine signaling in the brain and reduced social behavior. The nanoplastics altered brain activity in regions controlling reward, decision-making, and social interaction. This study suggests that nanoplastic exposure during critical periods of brain development could affect cognitive and social function, raising concerns about the impact on human brain health.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes brain abnormalities in progeny
When pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics, their offspring showed abnormal brain development including changes in neural stem cell function, altered brain structure, and cognitive problems. The effects were gender-specific, with some deficits appearing more strongly in one sex. This study raises concerns that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could increase the risk of neurodevelopmental problems in children.
Prenatal exposure on nanoplastics: A study of spatial transcriptomics in hippocampal offspring
Using advanced spatial gene-mapping technology, researchers found that prenatal exposure to nanoplastics caused significant changes in gene activity throughout the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory, in rat offspring. The nanoplastics altered the expression of genes involved in brain cell communication, energy production, and development. This study provides detailed evidence that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could disrupt brain development in ways that may affect cognitive function.
Teratological, neurochemical and histomorphic changes in the limbic areas of F1 mice progeny due to co-parental polystyrene nanoplastic exposure
Researchers exposed parent mice to polystyrene nanoplastics before and during pregnancy and found that offspring exhibited skeletal and visceral malformations, impaired neonatal reflexes, learning deficits, and structural brain changes — including reduced hippocampal neurons — demonstrating transgenerational neurodevelopmental harm from nanoplastic exposure.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics impacts developmental milestones and brain structure in mouse offspring
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics and studied the effects on their offspring's brain development. The study found that maternal nanoplastic exposure affected developmental milestones and brain structure in the young mice. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may pose risks to fetal brain development, though more research is needed to understand the implications for humans.
Nano polystyrene induced changes in anxiety and learning behaviour are mediated through oxidative stress and gene disturbance in mouse brain regions
Researchers orally exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics for eight weeks and documented impaired learning, spatial memory deficits, and heightened anxiety, linked to oxidative stress, reduced neurotransmitter gene expression, and altered acetylcholinesterase activity across three brain regions including the cortex and hippocampus.
Lifelong exposure to polystyrene-nanoplastics induces an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-like phenotype and impairs brain aging in mice
Mice exposed to nanoplastics throughout their entire lives -- from the womb through old age -- developed ADHD-like symptoms as adults, including hyperactivity, risk-taking behavior, and impaired learning, and showed a lower seizure threshold in old age. These behavioral changes were accompanied by altered brain proteins and accelerated brain aging at the cellular level, suggesting lifelong nanoplastic exposure may contribute to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
Perinatal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics alters socioemotional behaviors via the microbiota–gut–brain axis in adult offspring mice
Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene nanoplastics during the perinatal period and found that the offspring developed depression-like behaviors, reduced social interactions, and diminished social dominance as adults. The nanoplastics caused structural damage to hippocampal neurons and disrupted gut microbiota composition, particularly in male offspring. The study suggests that early-life nanoplastic exposure may affect brain development and behavior through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
Neonatal Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Impairs Microglia-Mediated Synaptic Pruning and Causes Social Behavioral Defects in Adulthood
Newborn mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed disrupted brain development that led to social behavior problems lasting into adulthood. The nanoplastics impaired microglia -- the brain's immune cells -- preventing them from properly pruning unnecessary connections between nerve cells during a critical window of early development. This raises concerns about nanoplastic exposure from baby bottles and other infant products.
Toxic effects and mechanisms of nanoplastics on embryonic brain development using brain organoids model
Using lab-grown brain organoids (miniature brain models), researchers found that nanoplastics exposure damaged developing brain cells, reduced the number of neural precursor cells, and disrupted connections between neurons. The damage appeared to work through the Wnt signaling pathway, which is critical for normal brain development. These findings raise concerns that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could potentially harm fetal brain development.
Oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficit accompanied with alteration of neuroimmune markers in rats
Researchers found that oral exposure to 50 nm polystyrene nanoplastics in rats induced anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficits after four weeks of dosing. The study observed alterations in neuroimmune markers in the hippocampus, suggesting that nanoplastic ingestion may affect brain function through neuroinflammatory pathways.
RNA sequencing analysis of embryos exposed to nanoplastics: effects on developmental and transcriptomic alteration
Researchers exposed mouse preimplantation embryos to nanoplastics and used RNA sequencing to assess developmental and transcriptomic effects. NP exposure disrupted zygotic genome activation and early cell cycle gene expression, suggesting that nanoplastics during critical early developmental windows could impair embryo viability.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes brain abnormalities in progeny
Researchers found that maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics caused brain abnormalities in offspring, demonstrating that nanoplastics can cross maternal barriers and affect neurological development in progeny with implications for developmental toxicology.
Polystyrene micro- and nano-particle coexposure injures fetal thalamus by inducing ROS-mediated cell apoptosis
Researchers found that when pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics, the nanoparticles crossed the placenta and accumulated in the fetal brain's thalamus region. The exposure caused oxidative damage, reduced levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, and led to anxiety-like behavior in the offspring. An antioxidant treatment was able to reduce the brain injury and rescue the behavioral effects, suggesting the damage was driven by oxidative stress.
Revealing the underlying mechanisms of nanoplastics induces neuroinflammation: From transcriptomic analysis to in vivo and in vitro validation
This study investigated how nanoplastics cause brain inflammation in mice. Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics accumulated in the brain, triggered anxiety-like behavior and cognitive problems, and activated inflammatory pathways involving NF-kappaB signaling. The evidence indicates that nanoplastics can cross into the brain and activate immune cells there, pointing to specific molecular mechanisms that may underlie the neurological effects of plastic particle exposure.
Polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles exposure induced anxiety-like behaviors, gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolism disorder in adult mice
A mouse study found that exposure to both micro- and nano-sized polystyrene particles caused anxiety-like behavior, disrupted gut bacteria, and altered metabolism. The nanoplastics caused more severe effects than the larger microplastics, and longer exposure periods made the damage worse. These findings support the idea that plastic particles can affect brain function and behavior through the gut-brain connection.
Effects of exposure to micro/nanoplastics of polystyrene on neuronal oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and anxiety-like behavior in mice: A Systematic Review
This systematic review examined 24 studies on how polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics affect the brains of mice. The findings consistently showed that exposure led to increased oxidative stress, brain inflammation, and anxiety-like behavior. Maternal exposure also caused brain-related harm in offspring, suggesting these tiny plastic particles could pose real risks to the nervous system.
Adolescent exposure to micro/nanoplastics induces cognitive impairments in mice with neuronal morphological damage and multi-omic alterations
Adolescent mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed significant memory and learning problems, along with neuron loss and reduced new brain cell growth in the hippocampus. The nanoplastics also disrupted gut bacteria and brain chemistry, with strong links found between gut microbiome changes and brain metabolic disruption, suggesting that plastic exposure during youth may impair brain development through the gut-brain connection.
Unseen threats: How nanoplastics trigger anxiety and depression-like behaviors in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to 20 nm polystyrene nanoplastics during early development and found that six months later the fish showed persistent anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, neurotransmitter imbalances, and neuronal degeneration, suggesting early-life nanoplastic exposure may be an overlooked environmental risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Neuropsychiatric implications of micro- and nanoplastics: a scoping review
This scoping review examined neuropsychiatric implications of micro- and nanoplastics, finding emerging evidence that both polymer particles and their chemical additives (including endocrine disruptors) may affect neurodevelopment and cognition, with research still in early stages.
Polystyrene nanoplastics exposure caused defective neural tube morphogenesis through caveolae-mediated endocytosis and faulty apoptosis
This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics caused abnormal neural tube formation in early embryonic development by being taken up through a specific cellular pathway and triggering defective cell death. The findings suggest nanoplastics could potentially interfere with fetal brain development, raising serious concerns about exposure during pregnancy.
The plastic brain part II: new insights into micro- and nanoplastics neurotoxicity
This systematic review evaluated neurotoxicity evidence from studies on micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) exposure, covering a rapidly growing body of literature. The authors found consistent evidence of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and behavioral disruption across multiple model systems, though dose-response relationships and human relevance remain areas of uncertainty.